Make Holy Week Holy

Springtime Reminds Brings Rebirth and New Life
For Christians, the Most Holy Week of the Year Is Here
For many, Christmas is the most Holy week of the year. That may be because it is so widely celebrated, even by those of other faiths or those of no particular faith. Along with all holidays, there is a tendency to focus on the fun, the parties, the food, the kids, the wonder, and all that goes along. In the Church of Jesus Christ of Latter-day Saints, we are making a mindful effort to focus on Jesus this week and to come closer to Him this year, and hopefully, these efforts will lead to year-round momentum.
To help with that, I put together this guide to help you focus a little each day on Christ and the last week of his mortal ministry, leading to the glorious atonement and resurrection. This gift of love from the Father and Christ is given to all who have ever lived. The guide includes scriptures to read each day, ideas for prayers that may help you get closer to Christ, interfaith practices to help us understand and love our neighbors, and activity ideas for each day of the week.
You can download the guide using the button below. It is free, not tracked, and requires no login or information.
If you want to know more about our efforts and focus this week, this short video below is a wonderful invitation and testimony of Christ. It can also clarify our (and my) belief in the literal resurrection of Christ.
Without the Resurrection of Jesus Christ, our faith would be in vain. But because He conquered death, we have hope that never fades, peace that surpasses understanding, and the eternal promise of life with Him. As Easter approaches, the First Presidency invites us to do more than simply celebrate this sacred event—we are called to live in its light and remember the #GreaterLove that made it possible. As Jesus taught, “Greater love hath no man than this, that a man lay down his life for his friends” (John 15:13). Because of His infinite love and sacrifice, we will all rise again. Let us strengthen our families, share our testimonies, and embrace traditions that reflect the true meaning of Easter. This season, may our hearts echo the exclamation heard around the world: "He is Risen!"
If all learning—whether through mistakes, refinement, or friction—requires some form of trial and error, then the Atonement transforms that process from merely painful to something redemptive. Without the Atonement, mistakes and failures might seem like dead ends, sources of despair. But because of Christ’s infinite sacrifice, they become steppingstones to growth, wisdom, and ultimately, eternal progression.
If you don't read this entire review, know this - I loved it and would recommend this book to almost anyone. I can't be sure that everyone will love it as much as I did, but the writing is so good that it is hard to think of anyone who should not read it. This is a character-driven novel, not plot-driven. Yes, many things happen and there is plenty of action, love, travel, fights, and much more, but this is all about the characters and the world they live in - not about the plot.
This book came up in an article or another book I read (though I can’t seem to find or remember which one), and it sounded interesting enough to add to my want-to-read list. I was curious about how different cultures raise children, hoping it might shed some light on the anxiety and behavioral challenges we see so often in the U.S.—problems that don’t seem nearly as common in other parts of the world
We live in a time where wealth disparity has reached staggering levels, with billionaires wielding more power than many nations. We call our system a democracy, but is it really? When those with immense wealth control the levers of power—politics, media, and public discourse—can we still claim that the people rule? To understand this troubling trend, let’s compare one of the wealthiest figures in history, King Solomon, and one of the richest individuals today, Elon Musk.
It is up to us to see it. We are not required or forced to see it; it is always a choice. Beauty comes and goes quickly. You have to look AND see it. What is there now may not return in that exact form ever again. We are blessed with a world that is ever-changing and ever-wonderful.
Percival Everett reimagines Mark Twain's The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn from the perspective of Jim, the enslaved man who accompanies Huck on his journey. In Everett's retelling, Jim, who prefers to be called James later in the novel, is portrayed as literate and resourceful, further exploring his character and experiences. "By giving Twain’s secondary character much-deserved agency, Everett allows him to be something he couldn’t be before: the hero.”
In short - I thought this was a wonderful read. 5 star read for me. It was not a light read because of the topics and trauma in the lives of its characters, but it was those characters who pulled me in. I cared about them before I knew how it would all tie together. As the history, secrets, trauma, and wonderful parts of their past unfolded, it brought more light to who they were. The book made me think, feel, and learn, all while being highly entertaining to read.
“A kind, forgiving, charitable, pleasant time; the only time I know of, in the long calendar of the year, when men and women seem by one consent to open their shut-up hearts freely, and to think of people below them as if they really were fellow-passengers to the grave, and not another race of creatures bound on other journeys.” Fred, from “A Christmas Carrol”.
As children learn to speak, they may babble as the desire hits them, even at seemingly the wrong times. As children grow, they speak out as thoughts hit them. We should think of our prayers that way. When the thought hits you, pray about it. You don't need formality to speak with God.
I put together this guide to help you focus a little each day on Christ and the last week of his mortal ministry, leading to the glorious atonement and resurrection. This gift of love from the Father and Christ is given to all who have ever lived. The guide includes scriptures to read each day, ideas for prayers that may help you get closer to Christ, interfaith practices to help us understand and love our neighbors, and activity ideas for each day of the week.